Chapter 9: The voice was unfamiliar, and the tone was far from pleasant.

Feng Xi was stunned.

The golden-maned suanni had made such a fuss but only received three Purple Qiao Exquisite Fruits.

Yet Xiao Baidao had given her ten?

Feng Xi’s eyes reddened.

She was truly moved by her master, Xiao Baidao’s sincerity.

“Master, I’m fine. Maybe I obtained something in the library…”

She originally intended to say she had gained a chance in the library, but some force seemed to bind her tongue, making it impossible to speak.

She took out paper and pen again, but her hands trembled like chicken claws, unable to write a single word.

Seeing this, Xiao Baidao almost burst into tears!

This was it!

Her little disciple seemed to have become a fool because of the damage to her spiritual consciousness!

Feng Xi had no choice but to give up on telling the truth and asked instead, “Master, how much can one Purple Qiao Exquisite Fruit sell for on the market?”

Although Xiao Baidao didn’t know why his little disciple asked this, he still replied, “Two hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones.”

Feng Xi was prepared for this, but the price still startled her.

No wonder the people of the Xuanyuan Sect were counting on this batch of Purple Qiao Exquisite Fruits to make a fortune; they were truly valuable.

She could imagine how much pressure Xiao Baidao would bear once the news that he gave her ten fruits spread.

“Master, I’ll find a way to earn money and cover this gap.”

Though Feng Xi spoke very earnestly, Xiao Baidao took it as nonsense.

What method could a little girl with barely any cultivation have to make money?

Not to mention two million spirit stones!

To be honest, Xiao Baidao had hesitated; after all, he had only been with Feng Xi for a few days. There was certainly a bond between master and disciple, but it wasn’t deep yet.

But thinking of the girl’s dependence on him, her sense of belonging to the sect, and especially how she helped him open his heart and successfully advance, the old man decided to go all in.

He smiled and said, “Money is but an external possession. You just focus on healing. Don’t worry about these things. Everything is taken care of by your master.”

Feng Xi knew this was a lie—after all, the old man would rather ride a sword and eat the northwest wind than take a flying boat, let alone lend two million spirit stones.

Feng Xi had been an orphan in her previous life and was indifferent to emotions, but at this moment, she truly kept Xiao Baidao, her master, deep in her heart.

Xiao Baidao comforted Feng Xi once more, watched as she swallowed a Purple Qiao Exquisite Fruit, and then left.

The fruit’s effect was immediate. Not only did Feng Xi’s headache disappear, but her spirits were greatly revived, and even the bruises on her face from the ancient scroll had healed.

She carefully probed her spiritual consciousness into her sea of consciousness again, surprised to find that most of the light points had dimmed, except one that shone brightly.

Sensing Feng Xi’s spiritual probe, it leapt over and transformed into a jade slip.

Feng Xi was astonished to find she could understand the words written on it!

---

“When chaos first opened, turbid qi sank, and clear qi rose, forming heaven and earth by itself.

Cultivators absorb the qi of heaven and earth, cleanse their meridians, refine their spiritual consciousness, and eventually merge with heaven and earth, achieving greatness.

Spiritual roots are essential for cultivation. Five spiritual roots and five meridians complete make for the highest quality.

Four spiritual roots, missing one meridian, are second best.

...

A single spiritual root, missing four meridians, is the lowest quality…”

Feng Xi wasn’t too surprised. After all, she had read many cultivation novels where many underdog heroines succeeded because of their five spiritual roots.

Besides, she herself had water and wood double spiritual roots!

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have fought for a spot as an inner disciple of the Hunyuan Sect.

Feng Xi continued reading.

“Those with incomplete five meridians may open a fractured dantian to connect with the qi of heaven and earth and complete their spiritual roots.

Once the spiritual roots are completed, cultivation will be twice as effective for half the effort.

However, opening the fractured dantian is extremely risky and must be fractured but not broken.

A slight mistake will lead to an abyss of no return…”

Feng Xi: (✧◡✧)

Isn’t my spiderweb-like dantian the perfect example of fractured but not broken?!

She kept reading. The following text described cultivation methods after opening the dantian. Although somewhat obscure, with the original body’s cultivation foundation, she quickly understood after careful study.

Normally, cultivators absorb spiritual energy into the dantian during cultivation and draw from it when needed.

The method on the jade slip omits the step of storing in the dantian. All absorbed spiritual energy is used to cleanse the meridians during cultivation.

Given time and practice, the body can absorb spiritual energy directly.

In other words, while others must draw spiritual energy from their dantian “bank” during battle, she wouldn’t need to. All external spiritual energy would belong to her, available anytime.

Unlimited!

Endless!

Cultivators have powerful moves but avoid using them easily due to their high spiritual energy consumption, only unleashing them when necessary.

She was different—she could unleash her ultimate moves from the start and keep using them endlessly, a prodigious extravagance!

Even if she couldn’t overpower her opponent, she could stall until their spiritual energy was depleted, then seize her chance!

Feng Xi couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

This was a huge win!

She always believed that true gold would shine eventually; she, Feng Xi, had never been mediocre!

Then she noticed a small line underneath:

“This cultivation method has one drawback: each time the dantian and spiritual consciousness are cultivated, there will be some pain.”

Feng Xi didn’t mind much—it was just some pain, after all, and she could endure it.

---

At this moment, the jade slip turned back into a light point and gradually lost its brightness.

Feng Xi guessed that as her cultivation grew, the other dim light points would gradually brighten, each jade slip containing secret knowledge never taught to others.

This was a tremendous treasure but also a deadly danger.

Possessing a precious gem invites envy.

No one could speak of it.

But this worry was unnecessary—she could not even speak if she wanted to.

She immediately began cultivating according to the jade slip’s instructions, cautious not to rush, trying bit by bit, then... fainted from the pain.

Damn it, this was just some pain?

It was excruciating, alright?!

But as long as she could survive, she could only bear it.

After resting a while, she continued cultivating.

Despite the intense pain, even bleeding again from her seven orifices, she persevered.

Unconsciously, dawn was breaking.

Though she had not slept all night, Feng Xi felt no discomfort, even warmth inside her body.

She tidied herself and went to pay respects to Xiao Baidao.

At the first quarter of the Mao hour, she arrived punctually at Xiao Baidao’s courtyard.

Xiao Baidao both scolded and worried, “Your spiritual consciousness and dantian are injured. You should rest properly…”

Feng Xi smiled brightly and said, “Master, I feel much better after eating the Purple Qiao Exquisite Fruit. Look, I can even hop now!”

After speaking, she hopped a few times like a rabbit.

Xiao Baidao: “...”

Alright, the child was only twelve; occasional childishness was normal.

Still, seeing Feng Xi’s rosy complexion, he knew she had improved a lot.

After a brief chat, Xiao Baidao sent her back to rest.

Back in her courtyard, Feng Xi resumed the cycle of cultivating—fainting—cultivating—fainting...

Before she realized it, evening had come.

Just as she woke from another faint, someone outside shouted,

“Feng Xi, come out here!”

The voice was unfamiliar and harsh.